winlosekilldie_chap1

talking about my ceremony at JB tonight.” She stands on
her tiptoes to kiss him. “You know your girl is going up
in the world.”
“I sure do. I still think you should’ve got the top spot
instead of Jameela, though. I mean if there was anything
I could do. . .” He walks out of the hall with us, but I stop
listening as we start up the corridor to the entrance hall.
God, I missed this place. I breathe in deeply, as though I
can inhale the pure essence of Morton into my very soul. I
love the feeling of belonging, being one of a handful of kids
from all over the country who are invited to attend such
an exclusive sixth-form college. It doesn’t matter who we
are or where we’re from – we’re here because of our brains.
Rich, poor, it doesn’t matter at Morton. We’re all here
because we are damn clever – and the truth is that most
of us wouldn’t have got the chance otherwise. It’s in the
middle of nowhere and boarding is compulsory. There’s no
internet access without supervision, either – that’s one of
Morton’s USPs: good old-fashioned bookwork. You win
some, you lose some, I guess.
I take a second to remind myself it’s all real. The
stone ceiling soars over us, and our shoes tap softly on
the ancient stone floor as we weave through bodies clad
in grey blazers that are piped with an almost lurid acid
green. The mahogany wall panels glow, sunlight streaming
through the long windows that allow us glimpses of
the vast, manicured gardens beyond them. We pass the
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